Transitioning to Adulthood for Youth with Disabilities
New York has many programs and services for young adults with disabilities. Navigating these programs and services can be confusing and overwhelming. We understand how to navigate this complex landscape and do so with one essential principle in mind: an early start is essential to ensure services are in place when your loved one becomes an adult.
We determine your loved one’s support needs through the intake process, come up with a written plan of action which not only ensures that all appropriate applications are submitted on his/her behalf, but that your and your loved one’s goals are reflected in future planning. We start with the application to the OPWDD for disability support to get the services they need to thrive at home and in the community. Other important applications include: Medicaid for medical benefits, SSI or SSI age 18-redetermination for financial benefits (or to continue financial benefits), Access-VR FOR vocational and/or employment support, ABLE account/special needs trust planning and SDM or guardianship for decision-making.
Eligibility for Disability Services
Applying to the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is the first of at least 6 essential steps for youth to successfully transition to adult services. OPWDD provides long-term disability supports, care coordination, day programs, community access, respite, residential, self-direction and employment supports. We ensure that you gather all the essential documents (e.g., most recent IEP, psychoeducational evaluation, etc.) needed to submit a complete application to OPWDD to avoid delay.
Medicaid
Using our planning tools, we ensure that your loved one’s Medicaid application is complete and submitted in a timely manner. Medicaid eligibility is an essential step because many adult disability services are Medicaid-funded.
SSI at age 18
If your loved one is already receiving SSI, they will need to be assessed for adult SSI through the SSI age-18 re-determination. In many cases, they may also be eligible for SSI-Disability based on parental SSI disability benefits. We ensure that applications submitted are complete and accurately reflect your loved one’s circumstances.
To ensure your loved one qualifies for SSI and/or Medicaid, it is important that their assets and resources do not exceed SSI’s financial threshold. The resource limit for SSI and Medicaid recipients is very low. If your loved one has an inheritance or bequest that puts them over this limit, they will no longer be eligible to apply for SSI or Medicaid. This can be devastating for those with specific medical care needs. At C. Cadogan and Associates, we use specialized legal tools, such as a Special Needs Trust (SNT), to ensure that your loved one receives the SSI and Medicaid benefits to which they are entitled.
Access-VR
If a youth is interested and capable of working, volunteering, or wants to attend college or employment preparation, Access-VR provides vocational rehabilitation for youth living with disabilities. Youth with disabilities can live an inclusive, integrated life through engagement in vocational services. We help you to support your goals for your loved one.
Decision-making options
When your loved one turns 18, they are presumed to be adults capable of making their own personal, financial, and legal decisions. However, depending on how your loved one is affected by their disability, they may need a little or a lot of support to make these decisions. If your loved one understands and is capable of making these important decisions but needs limited support, we can help to draft an appropriate Supported Decision-Maker Agreement (SDMA) sufficient to help you meet their needs. However, if your loved one is not able to clearly express or understand their legal rights, etc., we can help you to apply for an Article 17-A guardianship.
ABLE Account/Special Needs Trust Planning
Applying for Medicaid and SSI is a complex and delicate process. We ensure that youth are not deemed to have more countable income than they actually have, thereby inadvertently undermining their Medicaid and SSI eligibility. If your loved one has savings, is to receive a recovery from a personal injury or malpractice lawsuit, or is going to inherit money, we can help you set up the appropriate Special Needs Trust to protect your loved one’s assets and prevent these assets from being counted against them and prevent them from being eligible for government financial benefits.
The biggest mistake that families can make is waiting until the student is about to graduate or age out of school. Planning for transition to adult disability services should start as early as age 14 or 15. Give us a call. We understand these processes and want to ensure that your loved one’s transition to adulthood is successful.